


The Masked Knight of Coruscant University

by ElderlySeaHag



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base - SNL Sketch
Genre: Age Difference, Alcohol, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Marching Band, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anonymity, College, Drinking, Drum Major Rey, Drunk Rey (Star Wars), Ex-Marine Ben Solo, F/M, Football, Kissing, Marching Band, Mascot Kylo Ren, More like thirst trapping, Older Man/Younger Woman, Party, Rey Was Abandoned As a Child, Sexting, Slow Burn, Texting, The Drum Major/Mascot Love Story That Not Even I Asked For, Underage Drinking, University, almost, mascot, over 18 but under 21 so i'm tagging it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:47:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24211603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElderlySeaHag/pseuds/ElderlySeaHag
Summary: Drum major Rey declares her affection for the school mascot in front of her entire marching band, and it just so happens that Ben, the man behind the mask, is more than okay with that.A college marching band/mascot AU, for some reason.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 70
Kudos: 122





	1. Opening Game

**Author's Note:**

> Hello wonderful humans and literate pets/aliens, I hope you are all doing OK! I know I am like in the middle of 2 other fics, including one that's literally about quarantine, but right now I need to write about something that is as far away as quarantine as possible, and nothing is as far from quarantine as a good old fashioned gathering of thousands of college students in a relatively small area. I hope you find it somewhat entertaining!

“So, why are we warming up with the cheerleaders?” Ben whispered under the sound of head cheerleader Bazine Netal’s way-too-peppy voice counting out stretches.

“It’s a tradition,” Matt said, valiantly attempting to reach his toes while the cheerleaders neatly folded themselves in half. Ben was in better shape than Matt, having done plenty of stretching and working out in the military, but he still wasn’t half as limber as the cheerleaders and wasn’t sure he needed to be in order to do what he was supposed to do. “The mascot used to be a part of the cheerleading squad, back before cheerleading became a competitive sport and mascots just became a marketing ploy. This and photo ops are basically the only time we interact, so don’t get your hopes up if you’re into any of them.”

“I doubt I’m any of their type,” Ben replied. The cheerleaders weren’t paying them any mind, far too focused on their captain and their warmups to care about the gigantic nerd with bleach-blonde hair and the similarly large ex-Marine who was easily a decade older than any of them, both warming up in black gym shorts and inconspicuous red Coruscant U T-shirts.

“All right, let’s get a couple backflips out of the way before we do a run-through,” Bazine called once they had stretched just about every muscle in the human body.

“That’s our cue to leave,” Matt whispered. Ben nodded and followed him back to the locker rooms. The football stadium had a small changing room reserved for the mascot, since Kylo’s identity was supposed to be masked in secrecy. There were actually three of them; Ben, Matt, and Randy. They had arrived on campus a week before the semester began to undergo mascot training and appear at freshman orientation and other events, and this was the first football game of the season. Randy had the night off, since they only needed two for a game and Randy had done an early morning appearance the day before.

“Good, you’re on time,” Armitage Hux announced as soon as Ben and Matt stepped into the mascot’s changing room. Hux and his companion, Phasma, were Kylo’s spotters, which basically meant they followed him around to make sure drunk students didn’t harass him and opposing fans didn’t throw things at him and damage the costume. They also functioned as managers, making sure that the mascot made it to each ceremony or location on time and didn’t get lost, since Kylo couldn’t be seen consulting a phone or clipboard. It made Ben’s job a lot easier; all he had to do was stay in character and listen to the spotter.

“Who’s going first?” Phasma asked. “It’s really hot out today, so we have the schedule broken down so that neither of you will have to be out for more than half an hour at a time, so there’s going to be a lot of swapping.” Despite the fact that there were three Kylos, it was part of the mascot code of conduct to never allow two Kylos to be seen at the same event at the same time, so the switches had to be well coordinated.

“Can we see the schedule?” Matt asked.

Phasma set her clipboard down on the small table in the mascot’s room and let Matt and Ben scan it. The schedule was packed, so the switches would be tight; first Kylo would be greeting fans at the tailgate, then joining the marching band and cheerleaders for their mini-parade, then helping the Alumni Organization present an award, then joining the band and cheerleaders again to welcome the football team, then back to the tailgate, then cheering on the marching band for the lot concert, then cheering on the dance team, then a photo op with the university president and some important alumni, then greeting fans in the stands…

It went on and on. Before randomly stumbling on a signup sheet for Kylo auditions, where Ben had learned that he was the exact height and build they were looking for, he had never thought much about mascots at all. He certainly hadn’t realized how busy their schedules might be.

“I’ll go first,” Matt said. “I like the tailgate.”

“No,” Phasma said. “You hate doing the parade. Sober people do not enjoy tailgates, and as we learned in Kylo Camp, Kylo is always sober. Ben, are you OK with doing the parade side of the schedule?”

“Might as well give it a go and see what the fuss is about,” Ben said.

“It’s really not that bad,” Matt said. “It’s just a little boring.”

Matt got dressed first, heading out with Phasma once he was fully outfitted in the all-black suit, cape, and helmet. The Coruscant mascot was a stylized knight, the armor made to look like black metal. It was designed to look intimidating and a little futuristic, which was a lot cooler than some of the other schools’ mascots, but all the dark material was incredibly efficient at trapping heat, and in this weather, Matt would probably already be soaked in sweat by the time he arrived at the tailgate. Ben was grateful that there were three copies of the costume, so he wouldn’t have to put his head in Matt’s sweat-soaked helmet.

By the time Matt returned, Ben was already suited up and, at Hux’s insistence, appropriately hydrated. Hux led Ben over to a golf cart parked behind the locker rooms, which an undergrad intern dressed in khaki shorts and a Coruscant U Football polo drove through campus to the music building, where the marching band was lined up behind the cheerleaders.

“Look who’s here!” shouted the most enthusiastic voice Ben had ever heard. He would have thought she should be a cheerleader, but none of the cheerleaders he’d met during warmups had been half that peppy. “It’s Kylo Ren, the Dark Knight of Coruscant!” The marching band exploded into cheers, and Ben spotted the source of the enthusiasm; one of the band kids was bouncing toward him and waving. Ben slid out of the golf cart, Hux by his side, as the intern drove back to the stadium. “Kylo, are you ready to kick off Coruscant U’s best football season ever?” This band kid stood out for a couple of reasons; for one, her uniform was a little different; she had white gloves and red slacks and a shiny silver cape, while the rest of the band wore all black with red sashes. The second reason was that she didn’t have an instrument-- or a hat, for that matter. 

Ben held up Kylo’s signature glowing red sword triumphantly, nodding in affirmation. The band cheered, and the silver-caped band kid-- head band kid? He didn’t know anything about band-- approached him, going in for a high-five. Ben heard the sound of shutters going off, knowing that the university newspaper photographers were probably having a field day at the cute display.

Speaking of cute displays, once Ben could see the band kid more clearly through his helmet, he realized that she was very, _very_ good looking. Her big hazel eyes gleamed as she smiled at him.

Another band kid dressed like the pretty girl jogged up, shouting something that caused her to run into position alongside the band, leaving Hux to lead Kylo to the very end. “You take up the rear because people like to try to come hug you, and if you’re in the front, it slows down the whole operation,” Hux explained.

A whistle sounded, and then drums, and soon the entire parade was moving. The cheerleaders and colorguard had moving choreography that went with the drums, and Kylo tried to keep up, watching the arm movements the band kids were doing when they weren’t playing and learning the rhythms of the songs so that he could point and fist pump and hold up his sword at the right times. He felt like he was doing a pretty good job; the crowd seemed to like him.

The girl who had greeted him was walking alongside the band, staying in step for the most part but occasionally breaking rank to high-five small kids or be photographed. The other silver-capes-- Ben counted four, total-- were doing the same, with the exception of the one at the very front, who was spinning a mace in time to the music.

The parade passed through the main crowd, and the cheerleaders ran off, leaving the band to halt itself and wait for direction.

“I think we’re good,” Hux said, leading Ben back to the locker rooms. As he walked off, he could hear the girl’s voice, issuing instructions to the band through a megaphone. She still seemed pretty enthusiastic, even though it sounded like she was just reciting lunch protocol.

While Matt presented the award, Ben ate his lunch in the mascot room, then headed back out to welcome the football team. It was pretty anticlimactic; despite the cheerleaders’ bright energy and the band’s loud music, the team barely reacted to the crowd, marching into the stadium with their gazes fixed straight on the field. One of the band kids, another silver cape, reached out for a high-five as one of the players passed by him, but was ignored.

“Oof, that was painful,” Hux whispered. “That band kid is Finn Storm. He was on the football team two years ago, but quit to do marching band last year. He was a great player, and the team kind of took it as a betrayal. He made drum major this year, though, so I suppose he’s not a bad musician either.”

Ben had a lot of follow up questions, but Kylo wasn’t allowed to speak, so he kept them in. 

After another break in the mascot room, which thankfully had air conditioning, Ben and Hux ventured out again for the lot concert, which was apparently when the marching band played its entire repertoire for the season outside the stadium for any fans who happened to stop by. It was well-attended, attracting a pretty big crowd, and Ben made sure to dance along while maintaining the intensity of the Kylo character.

The four silver-capes, who Ben assumed were what Hux meant when he called Finn Storm a drum major, conducted the band from a couple of different angles so that everyone had a clear view of one of them. The way they were spread out, it seemed like at least one of them was pretty redundant, so they were taking turns breaking formation to interact with the crowd. 

The poppy halftime show song ended, and the band shifted into more of a ballad, and the overly enthusiastic drum major Ben had met broke rank and made her way over to him.

“May I have this dance?” she asked, holding her hand out to him.

At first, Ben was confused, but then he remembered that literally everything that was happening today was a giant publicity stunt-slash-photo op, this moment included. He handed his sword to Hux and took the drum major’s hand, following her out into the empty space between the crowd and the band.

What this drum major probably hadn’t expected was that Ben’s mother was a senator who had trained him for all manner of formal events, so he had no trouble taking the lead in a basic ballroom dance pattern.

The crowd _aweeed_ at the performance, and when the song ended, Ben let the girl go with an elaborate flourish, letting his arm trail out toward her as he returned to Hux. She had her enthusiastic band kid smile still plastered to her face, but as even the band kids joined in on the _ooh_ ing and _awwwww_ ing, her face began to flush red.

The head drum major started another song, and she returned to position, keeping time with her arms while Finn took his turn to mess around, running to the tuba section and stealing one of their instruments, leaving the displaced tuba player to steal his cape and conduct along with the drum majors for the rest of the song.

Once they were safely back in the mascot room, Hux fixed Ben with a smirk. “I don’t remember ballroom dance being covered in Kylo training,” he said.

“I picked it up elsewhere,” Ben said.

“Now we’re either going to have to teach Matt and Randy to dance, or make sure you’re the only Kylo who rolls with the band for consistency.” 

“I doubt it’ll come up again,” Ben said.

“You don’t know Rey Niima,” Hux said. “She’s a second year drum major, and if last year is anything to go by, she is the absolute queen of tailgate theatrics. Never let her know that I said that, though.”

“That’s her name?” Ben asked. “Rey?”

Hux nodded. “There are four drum majors, Poe, Finn, Rey, and Rose. Poe is head drum major, he’s the guy with the mace during parades. Finn is the guy who played football before, Rose is the shorter Asian girl, and Rey is the human embodiment of school spirit. Poe is the charisma, Rose is the musical technicality, Finn is the comedy, and Rey is the pure, unadulterated enthusiasm.” Hux described the drum majors with a slightly derisive air, yet he seemed to have all the details pretty well in order.

“You know a whole lot about the band for someone who works for the athletics department,” Ben commented.

“I know a whole lot about just about every organization at this institution,” Hux said. “It is relevant to my position. The mascot can be requested at events of any nature, so I like to know who I am dealing with. We tend to spend quite a deal of time with the band, so I need to know who we will be accosted by during parades. Speaking of mascot requests, we’re meeting the university president in five. Helmet on.”

Ben nodded, putting Kylo’s helmet back on and hoping his sweat couldn’t be smelled through the costume. He wasn’t sure what it was about that drum major, but he kind of hoped he got assigned to more events with the band this season.


	2. Kylo, do you love me back?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for once again joining me on an incredibly niche little journey here! I hope you enjoy chapter 2, we get a little bit more Rey in this one :)

The first football game had taken place before classes had even started, and now, between that and Freshman Orientation and all of the promotional events, Ben had more experience as the university’s mascot than as a student there. Now, the Tuesday after labor day, he was sitting in a lecture hall, waiting for his first class to start. This was a Gen Ed, so the class was big and filled with students from all different majors. His advisor had suggested getting a few of these out of the way first semester while he chipped away at pre-reqs for his major, so he’d signed up for two. 

He was early, and students were trickling in steadily, mostly populating the back and middle of the lecture hall. Ben had decided to pick a spot only a few rows back; near enough to the front to see and be seen by the professor, not enough to call attention to himself.

Not afraid to call attention to themselves were the half-dozen or so students that made their way in from the side door and immediately claimed a row of seats front and center. As they shrugged off their matching jackets (which it was still a little warm out for, to be fair), Ben realized that he recognized more than one of them.

Finn and Rey were sitting just a couple rows ahead of him, surrounded by who Ben assumed were other band kids.

As it got closer to the time class was supposed to start, the six were joined by a couple more students, Rey greeting each one with the enthusiasm of someone who hadn’t seen a friend in years, even though she had probably talked to all of them at band practice just yesterday. Ben took in her accent for the first time-- he’d noticed it a little on Saturday, but the adrenaline of his first major appearance as Kylo had kept him from really processing it-- and he wondered if she was an international student.

The lecture started, and Ben couldn’t help but notice how Rey applied the same enthusiasm she put into leading a marching band into taking notes. He could make out her handwriting from the third row, and it looked pristine. Every time the professor asked a question, she was the first to raise her hand.

The other band kids varied on their exact levels of engagement. Finn seemed to be half-paying attention, half-goofing off with the guy next to him. The blonde girl they had arrived with was the image of the attentive student until the moment the professor’s back was turned, when she went back to texting furiously.

Class ended, and the band kids all got up, gathering their stuff and turning to leave. When Rey turned around, their eyes met for just a second, and Ben attempted to wave, but Rey’s gaze had already returned to something else. _She doesn’t recognize you,_ he reminded himself. _She danced with Kylo Ren, but she has no idea Ben Solo exists._

After class, Ben made his way to the dining hall, where he’d made plans to meet Matt and Randy for lunch. The three of them already lived together-- during Kylo camp, Ben had realized that since he was technically a freshman, he’d been assigned to live in a freshman dorm with a bunch of 18-year-olds, and Matt and Randy had helped him convince the representative at the Residential Offices that as a 30-year-old former Marine, they should really let him at least live with some upperclassmen, and _hey,_ these two just happen to have an open room in their apartment, and yeah, it’s supposed to be reserved for upperclassmen and grad students, but are you _really_ going to make some poor, unsuspecting teenage boy spend his freshman year sharing a room with a 30 year old man who’s been to _war?_

Matt and Randy already had a table, so Ben dropped his bag off on a chair and went to load a plate with grilled chicken and roasted vegetables and kale. College definitely had the military beat when it came to food. Now, as long as he could be sure to maintain his gym schedule, he’d have no problem keeping up his bulk.

“Have you checked your email?” Randy asked when Ben returned.

“Not since before class,” Ben replied.

“There are some new events for our boy,” Matt said. When they were in public, Randy and Matt always referred to Kylo as “our boy” or “our dude” or “our buddy.” It was all a part of the ‘never admit that you’re Kylo’ illusion.

“Let’s take a look,” Ben said, and Randy positioned his laptop so that all three of them could see the screen. There were several upcoming appearances for Kylo, and the admin in charge of booking him had asked the three performers to respond with their availability so that she could put them on the schedule.

“These three only call for one guy each,” Matt said, highlighting the three coming up this week. _Activities and organizations fair. Student Union open house. Founders Day Ceremony w/Band._ Ben’s eyes caught on the third event, and he scanned the description. _Thursday, call time 4:15 PM, ceremony at 4:30, done by 6:00. Lead marching band from music building to the Old Quad, where they will line up in formation behind statue to play alma mater. Stay with band until end of ceremony, then meet and greet/photo op in front of statue. May finish early, depending on number of photos._ It sounded like a pretty boring gig, but it was under two hours, and he might get to run into Rey again. 

“I’ll do Founders Day,” Ben said. “Works with my schedule.”

Matt shrugged. “I can do activities fair.”

“That’s fine,” Randy said. “Student Union Open house is really easy. You just stand there for people’s selfies. I’ll take that.”

Some of the other events involved multiple Kylos, so the three figured out what would work, and Randy sent back an email letting the admin know who would do what. “She basically lets us figure out our own schedules, as long as we keep the hours pretty even and every event is covered,” Matt said. Being Kylo was technically a student job; the performers got paid minimum wage for each appearance, except for a few optional events which counted as community service hours.

Kylo heard the scraping of chairs behind him, and turned from his and his roommates’ secluded table in the corner to see a fairly large gaggle of students congregating at one of the long tables in the middle of the dining hall. They all had the marching band jackets on, and Ben wondered if the band kids traveled exclusively in groups. He scanned the crowd and spotted Rey, grinning and talking to a younger-looking student while carrying a plate piled high with noodles.

“The band kids have arrived,” Matt said, noticing Ben’s line of sight.

“Have you guys ever thought about how we basically spend enough time with the band, between football games and parades and ceremonies and all the other bullshit, that we’re basically honorary members, and yet none of them have any clue who we are?”

 _Actually, yes,_ Ben thought. It made him a little sad to know that Rey had no idea that it was him she’d danced with, but on the other hand, it was probably a good thing. If he ever found an opportunity to talk to her, he should probably let her get to know him as a fit ex-marine before she learned about the mascot thing. Then again, with the amount of school spirit she seemed to have, maybe it would be a plus?

“It just means we can scope out the pretty band girls without them knowing, and then try to find them on Tinder later,” Matt said. “I like a cutie with a flutie.”

“True,” Randy said. “Not that it’s ever worked for me.”

“Have you ever actually tried?” Matt asked. 

“No.”

Matt and Randy stared each other down, and Ben guessed they’d been over this before.

“Maybe we should do band next year,” Matt said. “I bet we’d find girlfriends. Everyone in band is dating each other.”

“Yeah, literally. Two of the drum majors are with each other. It’s like a matchmaking service for nerds.”

“We’re nerds,” Matt said.

“Yeah, that’s what I mean,” Randy said. “So it might work for us.”

“Which two drim majors are together?” Ben asked, feigning nonchalance. There were only four drum majors, and in his opinion, Rey was far and away the hottest. He realized that it was probably too much to ask for him to assume she was single.

“Finn and Poe,” Matt said. “The ex-football player and the older one.”

“They are actually pretty cute together,” Randy said. “Like the whole story of them falling in love at band camp.”

Matt shrugged. “I guess so.”

\-------------------

Rey stood with the other drum majors outside the music building at 4:00 PM. The rest of the band was still inside, getting ready, with a few early arrivers waiting on benches with their instruments to be lined up later. The drum majors were in charge of leading and motivating the band, which meant always being early so that they had time to push everyone else along. The mascot was early as well, looming a few feet away, his spotter sitting on a bench nearby while tapping away on an iPad.

“How’s your first week been?” Rose asked.

“Good so far,” Rey said. “It might be a challenging semester. I’m taking a grad level math class and a couple 400-levels, but I also have a couple pretty easy gen-eds.”

Rose nodded. “It’s gonna be a doozy for me. I have instrument labs, five ensembles, music theory… oh, and all this craziness.” The music major at Coruscant U was notorious for requiring a massive number of credit hours, and Rose was an overachiever as it was, so she usually needed to apply for a credit override to fit all the classes she needed into each semester.

“I’m having a good semester,” Poe said, smiling. “I only have classes two days a week.”

“Yeah, and you’re on year five of a four year degree,” Rey replied.

“Can you blame me?” Poe asked. “Five years of band.”

“You totally did this on purpose,” Rose said. “Must be nice having enough money for 20% more tuition.”

Poe shrugged. “For me, it’s worth it.”

Finn wrapped his arm around Poe. “It gives us the chance to be drum majors together.”

Rey rolled her eyes. “I guess you are pretty cute.”

“We’re the cutest,” Poe said. “Rey, you and Rose should get together. It would be so fun. We could double date. The ultimate couple of marching band power couples.”

“I’m in a committed three-way relationship with Practice Room 38-B and my clarinet, so unfortunately, I am not available for any other connections,” Rose said.

“Yeah,” Rey said. “I have homework. And also, I’m not really into girls. No offense.”

“None take,” Rose said. “You’re not exactly my type either.”

“Come on, Rey,” Poe goaded. “There’s got to be a guy for you. What about Snap from the bass drums?”

Rey shook her head. “I’m good. I mean, no offense to him either, but I’m just not interested in him.”

“I’m sure I could introduce you to some of my trumpet buddies,” Poe continued.

“That’s okay,” Rey said, looking around for an escape from this conversation. “Besides, I already have a man,” she said, her eyes landing on a dark figure a few feet away. He seemed to look over her at the exact same time, so she held her arm out, gesturing in his direction. “Kylo will be my boyfriend. Right, Kylo?”

The mascot took a few steps in her direction, cocking his head inquisitively.

“My friends think I need a boyfriend,” Rey said. “But you’re my boyfriend, right? I just have so much Coruscant U pride that the only man for me is Kylo Ren.”

The other drum majors started laughing, along with the handful of other band kids within earshot. Never missing an opportunity to entertain a crowd, Rey kept going, taking another step toward the masked figure. She’d always noticed that Kylo was tall-- mascots were usually pretty big, so they could stand out in a crowd-- but this close, it occurred to her how large the person in the costume must be. “Kylo, do you love me back?” she asked.

The figure took another step toward her, then dropped to one knee, theatrically offering her his bright red saber as if it were a bouquet of roses. More of the band kids had gathered around, as it was almost time to get into formation, and the crowd _ooooohed_ at Kylo’s gesture.

Rey clasped her hands in front of her chest. “For me?” she asked. Kylo nodded. Rey accepted the sword, hugging it to her chest, and Kylo stood up, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “See?” she called over to Finn and Poe. “Kylo’s the only boyfriend I need.”

The band kids laughed and cheered, while Poe blew his whistle, signifying that it was time to line up to march to the quad. “I gotta go,” Rey said to Kylo, returning his sword. She took a few steps toward the crowd of musicians getting into file. She turned and blew him a kiss. “Until next time,” she called with a wink.

Kylo caught the invisible kiss in a leather-gloved hand, tucking it into the folds of his cowl, just over his heart. 

“I think you’re official now,” joked Rose.

\-------------------

Ben did not regret signing up for the Founders Day Ceremony. The event itself was incredibly boring, and the meet-and-greet had gone long past the promised end time of “six, at the latest,” but the information he had gathered _before_ the event had been priceless. Rey was single. Ben did not allow himself to get excited about their over-the-top flirtation in front of all of her friends; clearly, she had just wanted Poe to stop suggesting people to set her up with, and Kylo had been the easy, and entertaining, way out. However, the fact that she was _technically_ available warmed his heart.

After the meet and greet, then dinner, then a solid hour in the library, Ben made his way back to the apartment. “What’s up, dude?” Matt asked. “How was Founders Day?”

“Pretty boring. Went long,” Ben replied.

“Heard you got us a girlfriend,” Randy said, smirking.

“Hm?” Ben asked.

Randy turned his laptop screen toward Ben and hit play. Apparently, one of the band kids had started filming his and Rey’s interaction before the ceremony and posted it to one of the university Facebook groups.

“Good job, dude,” Matt said. “Rey is hot. And British.”

Randy nodded. “British girls are hot.”

“I was just playing along,” Ben said. “She started it.”

Matt nodded. “Lucky break. We’ll have to maintain that, for consistency. The mascot dating the drum major is good PR. Maybe we’ll get an article in the _CU Times. ___

__“This school really loves its PR,” Ben commented._ _

__“The level of school spirit at this place is high,” Randy said. “And we have a massive, massive alumni network who love to see what bullshit we can come up with for them to share on Facebook. Keeps the donations rolling in.”_ _

__Ben nodded. He could roll with that._ _

__

____

\-------------------

Rey stood at the base of Poe’s drum major podium, which was the tallest and stood front and center on the practice field where the band held rehearsal. It was where Poe and the band manager made their daily announcements to the band, so everyone was crowded around it. There were three other smaller podiums, Rey’s and Rose’s off to either side, and Finn’s on the back sideline, so that he could conduct any members of the band who were facing backfield.

The band manager was going over the itinerary for the band’s next appearance when a delivery worker arrived wearing the logo of a local florist. “I have a delivery for Rey Niima,” he announced when the band manager finished reading off her notes.

“That’s me,” Rey said. The band erupted into whispers as the deliveryman handed her a bouquet of red roses tied together with a black satin ribbon. “Who are they from?” she asked. The man pointed to the card attached to the bouquet, then hurried back to his vehicle.

Rey opened the card, and immediately, her cheeks flushed red. “Read it!” Someone in the crowd shouted, and soon the entire band was chanting along. Someone handed her the mic for the long ranger, and reluctantly, Rey read the card aloud. “Our love burns brighter than the light of my laser sword. Yours truly, Kylo Ren.”

The band erupted into cheers, and Poe looked down at her from his podium. Muting his microphone so that the rest of the band wouldn’t hear him, he fixed her with a single raised eyebrow. “You know this doesn’t count as actually having a boyfriend, right?” he asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think and also let me know if any of the weird college traditions need more explaining! 
> 
> Kylo and Rey's "relationship" is kind of based on the tradition at some universities (or maybe just mine, LOL) where a student organization "dates" another student organization, which can vary in nature from group to group, sometimes it's cute and the teams or clubs make little gifts for each other or cheer on the team/club they're "dating," and sometimes it's just a transparent setup for members of a team/frat to get to know more of the girls in a particular organization. I saw it go both ways, but a lot of the time it was incredibly wholesome.


	3. Away Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo makes some moves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my friends! Here is some more of whatever the heck this AU is turning out to be! I hope you enjoy. If any of the marching band stuff doesn't make sense, please let me know so I can make it clearer lol
> 
> I kind of struggled to decide whose perspective to write a lot of this in, I mostly went with Rey for this chapter since we've been with Ben a lot so far, but let me know your thoughts!

“Did you know that was going to happen?” Rose asked Rey while they sat in Rose’s dorm room, Rose on the bed and Rey curled up on the beanbag chair in the corner.

“Not at all,” Rey replied. “I’ve only interacted with him at the football game and Founders Day. I don’t even know who it is in the costume.”

“I’ve heard that it can be different people at different times,” Rose said. 

“I think this was the same one that I danced with at the lot concert,” Rey said. “There was something familiar about him. And he seemed to remember me.”

“That makes sense,” Rose said. 

Rey bit her lip, turning her phone over in her hands without waking up the screen. “If I say something super weird right now, can you promise not to tell anyone else?”

Rose rolled her eyes. “You’re publicly dating a sports mascot. I think we’re past the point of anything being too weird. But yeah, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Is it weird that I feel like he’s hot?”

Rose laughed. “You have no idea what he looks like. He could be really ugly under that suit.”

“I don’t know what it is,” Rey said. “An energy. I can’t explain it.”

“Holy shit, Rey,” Rose half-laughed. “Are you actually attracted to the Kylo mascot?”

Rey blushed. “No? I don’t know. Maybe I just like the attention.”

“He might not even be single. Or into women. Or he could _be_ a woman. You don’t know.”

“That would be a very tall woman. But you have a point. Whatever. This is fun, and people seem to be enjoying it, so I’m going to keep rolling with it. And it’s a good excuse to avoid letting Poe set me up with anyone.”

Rose laughed. “If it works, watch out. I’ll start trying to date a mascot too.”

\-------------------

The first away game of the season was held at Alderaan College, which was only three-and-a-half hours away by bus, so the marching band came along. Rey was not a fan of away games; scheduling an overnight was expensive, so for this game the band had to be on the bus at six in the morning in order to arrive at AC at half past nine. In addition to the incredibly long and exhausting day, the band also had to deal with the fact that they were not on their home turf. Some host fans were lovely and welcoming to the guest band, but others could be outright hostile, especially drunk students.

As lovely as the Alderaan campus was to visit, its student body, when intoxicated, turned out to be rather impolite. The CU band was booed on arrival, the half-dozen coach buses they rode in on being welcomed to the stadium with profanities shouted by tailgaters crowding both sides of the street. Rey rolled her eyes, wondering why the university even bothered sending them here. If the entire crowd was made up of AC students and fans, and those fans hated the opposing band, what was the point? Who were they trying to impress? 

Rey picked up the microphone at the front of the bus, launching into a speech about how as representatives of the university they had a responsibility to be the ‘bigger person’ and if any opposing fans harass them during the game, they have to stay silent and ignore it, then shot off a text to the other drum majors and captains reminding them to do the same. 

The buses pulled into the section of parking lot behind the stadium that had been set aside for them. The cheerleaders were already there, looking equally unhappy as they unloaded their equipment on the hot asphalt. 

Rey, Finn, Rose, and Poe got the band moving, unloading large equipment and getting everyone onto the lot with their instruments. At least they didn’t need to play the tailgate here. That would be a nightmare. When they had the podiums and long rangers set up so that they could conduct and give directions, they warmed up the band, starting with some calisthenics and moving on to music once the band seemed to have recovered from spending several hours on cramped coach buses. By the time everything was in order, it was time for an early lunch before they had to get into uniform.

Since the home band had their own pre-game show, the CU band didn’t need to play on the field until halftime, so they set up in their section of stands as soon as they entered the stadium. The CU fan section was blessedly directly next to them, allowing a small buffer between the band and the home fans, but the section was small and mostly empty. CU fans didn’t travel to Alderaan when they could see CU play at CU, especially not this early in the season. All of the other adjoining sections were chock-full of AC students and alumni, who were already getting rowdy.

It was hot, and Rey was already sweating in her uniform despite not having to march around the tailgate or play the pregame show. She’d drank a lot of water at lunch, but all that seemed to have done for her was make her have to pee. 

Rey let Poe know she was headed to the bathroom and scurried off. Normally, the band recommended always going to the bathroom during away football games in pairs or small groups in case anything odd happened, but Rey didn’t want to take anyone away from the stands, especially since she doubted anyone else would need to go this soon after lunch.

Rey made her way to the bottom of the section and found the opening that led to the space underneath and behind the bleachers, where all of AC’s amenities were. Like CU’s, the stadium was huge, and there were multiple snack bars and merch booths, which all had lines and crowds. Rey ducked between people, searching for a bathroom without calling too much attention to herself. She finally found one; probably not the closest one to where the band was, since it seemed unreasonably far, but at least it didn’t have a huge line. She got in and out, then tried to find her way back to the band.

She didn’t remember which section they had been in-- was it G? C?-- and all the snack bars and merch tables looked the same. _Screw it,_ she thought, making her way through the next passageway back into the stadium that she could find, knowing it was the wrong one. She could spot the band from the stands and then count the sections.

Not only was she in the wrong section, Rey realized, but she was in the wrong-est section she could have possibly chosen. The passage she had chosen led directly out into the AC student section, which was so crowded that Rey was having trouble just making her way back to the passageway. She spotted the band, three sections over, just as some AC students spotted her.

“Hey Coruscant nerd!” someone shouted. “Wrong section!”

_Fuck,_ Rey though. _I’m about to die._

Rey turned back, desperately trying to escape, but an AC student grabbed her arm. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked. “Back to the trash heap you call a university?”

The rivalries between American colleges and universities was something that made no sense to Rey. They were just _schools._ Having pride in your own school, she understood; she was essentially CU’s queen of school spirit. She loved being a part of a community. But that didn’t mean she hated anyone else’s school for not being hers.

Rey tried to pull away, back toward the exit, but she was pushed forward, trapped between the crowd of students and the railing. _This is why we tell the band to bring a buddy to the bathroom,_ she thought uselessly. _Shit._

\-------------------

The worst thing about being in the Kylo costume was that when sweat dripped down his forehead, there was nothing Ben could do about it. He couldn’t take the helmet off to wipe his face, couldn’t reach his gloved fingers in to scratch the itch it caused. He just had to suffer until he and Randy could switch out.

Hux and Phasma, at least, were somewhat sensitive to this issue, switching the mascots out more often than usual. There weren’t nearly as many events and ceremonies at away games that warranted the mascot’s presence, so Hux and Phasma just kept them on a rotation between visiting fans in the CU section and pacing the sidelines with the players and cheerleaders. 

At present, Ben was on the sideline, passing in front of the AC student section. They were a rowdy crowd, and they made their distaste for CU known. He could hear them jeering and booing him as he passed.

Or were they? Ben looked up, realizing that the negative energy he had though had been caused by the opposing team’s mascot crossing too closely into their territory was actually directed toward someone else. The figure was easy to spot through among the green and blue-wearing AC students, her red slacks and silver cape giving her away immediately. Somehow, Rey had found herself in the AC student section, and the students were not happy about it.

Ben turned, meaning to find a subtle way to draw Hux’s attention to the situation so that he could call security, when he heard Rey cry out in surprise as she was shoved toward the railing overlooking the field.

Ben didn’t think; he acted. He vaulted over the first barricade easily; it was far too short to be an obstacle for him. He then went for the stands themselves, jumping to catch the lower bar of the railing and hoisting himself up from there. The AC students’ initial surprise at seeing the mascot hop the barricade and climb into the stands gave him just enough time to grab Rey and plow his way out of the student section and out of the stands.

Rey screamed as her feet left the ground, then, realizing who was carrying her, seemed to relax slightly. “Kylo?” she asked.

Ben nodded, not allowed to speak in costume. He’d broken all kinds of rules with that stunt he’d just pulled; he had probably better not break any more.

“You can put me down now,” Rey said as he carried her through the thinning crowd waiting for food and bathrooms. “I think I’m safe.”

Ben did not react to that, speeding down a more secluded corridor toward the guest locker rooms. “Where are we going?” Rey laughed. “Thank you for rescuing me, but I have to get back to the band.”

When they reached the hallway where the locker rooms were, Ben set Rey down next to a table, where some extra water bottles and a stack of printed maps of the AC stadium sat. Ben grabbed a map, scanning his surroundings until he spotted a whiteboard marker abandoned on the floor.

Gesturing with one finger for Rey to wait, Ben scrawled a note onto the back of the map, then folded it tightly and slid it into the pocket of Rey’s uniform coat.

He led her back out to the stadium, crossing paths with a silent but fuming Hux. “Do you know your way back to your section, Miss Niima?” Hux asked. 

“I think I’ve got it figured out,” she said. “Won’t be making that mistake again.”

“Good,” Hux said. “Go on. I need to have a discussion with Mr. Ren.”

\-------------------

Kylo Ren’s valiant rescue of junior drum major Rey Niima went viral before the game was even over. It had been shot from several angles, including by one of the stadium’s professional cameramen, and soon enough, blogs and news outlets were covering the incident. The knight mascot rescuing an actual damsel in distress made quick headlines, even though plenty of people thought it was staged. For that reason, despite the major rule violations involved-- hopping the barricade, entering the opposing team’s fan section, picking someone up, and most importantly, _leaving his spotter,_ Ben got away without any meaningful repercussions. On the ride home, Randy played the footage back every time a new video was posted, laughing at all the attention Kylo was getting. “How did you know she was going to be there?” Randy asked. “Did you two plan this?”

“No,” Ben said. “I heard a commotion and looked and she was there. I was completely shocked. That’s why I moved so fast; I was afraid she was actually going to get hurt.”

“Honestly, she’s lucky she didn’t,” Randy said. “The AC crowd has been known to get violent.”

Ben shook his head. It was pathetic, really, to get that belligerent over sports. He put his headphones on and got some music going, ready to settle in for the long bus ride. He closed his eyes, wondering if there was any chance of him getting some sleep, when his phone buzzed.

He checked the screen. He had two texts from an unknown number. 

_thanks for rescuing me lol_

_sorry if it got you in trouble_

\-------------------

Rey fidgeted in her seat, turning to the side and curling her legs up in front of her so that she could hide what was in her lap. After thoroughly harassing her about the incident with the mascot, the band seemed to have settled down, and the students on her bus were mostly asleep, exhausted after the long day.

She unfolded the map again, reading back what Kylo-- or, technically, the man behind the mask-- had written.

_If you ever need a knight in real life, don’t be afraid to call._ And then there was a phone number.

She sent him a text before she lost her nerve. On one hand, it could be a bit paternalistic-- he might think she was the type to constantly need rescuing, which she was not. She could fend for herself, except, apparently, at away games. But on the other hand-- and she kind of hoped this was what he meant-- it could have been flirtatious.

Within seconds, she had a response.

**I didn’t get in trouble. All the good press kept them off my back. And It would have been worth it anyway.**

Rey didn’t know why, but the words gave her a warm feeling as she let them sink in. _This is crazy,_ she thought. _I’m getting a warm fuzzy feeling texting a school mascot._ She tapped out a reply.

_i’m glad you’re not in trouble. you’re a great knight_

_and a great boyfriend_

_kidding, of course lol_

Rey blushed. That was weird. He was going to think she took their theatrical flirtations seriously, or just think she was awkward.

**What are you kidding about? Am I not a great boyfriend?**

Rey’s blush turned into a moment of anxiety, thinking back to what Rose had said. _There could be anyone under that mask. He could be a total creep._

After a minute or two, her phone buzzed again.

**I’m kidding, as well, of course. Although I do hope that I am living up to whatever your standards are for fake mascot boyfriend.**

Rey smiled, relaxing a bit. He could be a creep, but he could also be a nice guy. And, if they kept up this “relationship” for the sake of all the press, it might be nice to have a direct line of communication so that his grand gestures didn’t have to all be surprises or reactions to her in mortal danger.

_you’re the best mascot boyfriend a girl could ask for lol. thank you for the flowers, by the way. i forgot to thank you while you were carrying me from the clutches of evil_

**You’re very welcome. What kind of a boyfriend would Kylo be if he never sent his lady flowers?**

_my friends showed me the video from today. how did you even climb the barrier that fast? it was incredible._

**I’m a knight! I am highly skilled in many disciplines.**

_for real, though! you’re, like, really strong_

**If I tell you any of my secrets, I break the sacred code of the Knights of Ren.**

Of course. If he told her anything personal about himself, she’d have a clue about who he was, and then he would be jeopardizing his anonymity.

_i promise i won’t tell! i’m your girlfriend, remember? we can have secrets :)_

**Tell me a secret.**

_i’m not very secretive_

**You must have a secret. You’re so happy and energetic, you must be hiding a dark secret.**

Rey was sure whoever this was had meant it as a joke, but it did hit a little close to home. She’d had a difficult childhood, and part of her overwhelming, performative happiness was a coping mechanism to make up for that.

_ok, but remember, you asked._

_my parents abandoned me when i was 3._

There was a long pause before the next message, and Rey was afraid she had scared him off, when the reply came.

**I’m sorry to hear that. I admit it was insensitive of me to push you like that. It’s probably inappropriate of me to comment, but for what it’s worth, I think they made a huge mistake. Anyone who would abandon you is an idiot and your parents never deserved you in the first place if they would even consider doing something like that.**

That was… intense. But somehow, endearing? The few times she’d told someone at CU about her past, they had responded with sympathy and hugs and apologies for something they had no part in causing. This was… different. And kind of self aware. Rey didn’t feel like she was being pitied. She kind of liked that.

_it’s ok. i came out all right and now i’m here._

_now it’s your turn. tell me a secret._

**I certainly do owe you one. Can you promise that you won’t pass anything along? I will actually get in trouble if the public identifies me because I told you something.**

_if course i won’t tell anyone! that’s the point of a secret._

**I just left the military. I don’t know if I fit in here. It’s hard to think like an undergrad when you’re surrounded by people with such a different life experience.**

_i know how you feel. well, not exactly, i was never in the military. but my life in the uk was a lot harder and it can be difficult to empathize with my classmates when their problems seem so trivial sometimes._

**Yes, precisely. You get what I mean. How do you cope with it?**

_I have some friends who get me pretty well. that helps. and i throw myself into my responsibilities. i’m here to get a degree and enjoy band, so i’m going to do those 2 things to the best of my ability._

_and i’m always here if you need someone to talk to :)_

**Thank you, Rey. I’m glad to hear that.**

The rhythm of the bus changed, and Rey realized that they were no longer on the highway. They would be pulling onto the CU campus soon.

_my bus is almost to campus. i’m going to be busy herding band kids for a little while, so i won’t be able to text_

**No problem. I am almost back as well. I would be happy to talk some more when you get home.**

Rey smiled at that. He was very polite, very formal. It could have been off-putting, but instead it came off to her as refreshing.

Rey went through the motions of getting the band settled in, making sure that the buses were clean and empty and all the equipment made it back to where it belonged and the uniforms were hung in order. Once the rest of the band had made their way home, the drum majors had their final check-in with the director before heading out themselves.

Poe drove the four of them home, dropping Rose at her dorm before arriving at the house they shared with several other band kids. It was an old farmhouse just off campus that had been rented to band students for over fifteen years; when one resident graduated another moved in to take their place. Rey’s room was tiny, but she didn’t have to share it and the rent was incredibly cheap due to the number of people in the house. She set down her bag and flopped down on her narrow bed, narrowly missing hitting her head on the slanted ceiling, before pulling out her phone.

_finally made it back (mostly) alive_

**No rogue AC students accosted you on the way home, I hope?**

_luckily, not tonight_

**Good. If they had, I would have hoped you would call me straight away.**

_i’m glad you have my back. all that military training and working out has finally found a purpose._

There was a long pause, and Rey worried that she had offended him with her joke, when a picture came through. Rey covered her mouth to stop herself from making a startled noise. The picture was of him-- presumably. His face wasn’t in it. It seemed like he had taken it with his front camera while lying down in bed, wearing only a pair of black gym shorts. At this angle, all she could see were his abs, but those alone were enough to make her drool. Was this real?

_are those yours?_

**What, these shorts? No, I’m borrowing them from my roommate.**

_no, dummy. those abs._

**Last I checked, I grew them myself.**

_prove it_

**What would you like me to do?**

_write my name on your left pec and send me a picture_

It might have been a little overboard, but Rey’s adrenaline was high, and the last thing she wanted was to be catfished by the fucking mascot.

The photo came through. The letters were a little messy, but it was obviously real. 

**Right over my heart**

_omg you actually did that lmao_

**You doubted me.**

_you can imagine why i might be suspicious_

**Why? These muscles don’t look strong enough to carry you through a crowded stadium in 95 degree heat?**

_okay, fair. it checks out._

**Good. I wouldn’t lie to you.**

_thank you. i appreciate that._

Rey hesitated for a moment, before making a decision. She wasn’t ripped like Kylo, but she was in pretty good shape, especially now after spending weeks moving equipment and sweating on a field during band camp. She stood up, stripping off her t-shirt so that she was just in her sports bra and short black running shorts. Standing in front of her full-length mirror, she snapped a shot of herself, including her face and part of her legs.

_only fair_

**You’re stunning. But that’s not news. Anyone can tell that you’re perfect, even in your drum major uniform.**

_are you implying that my drum major uniform is not the sexiest outfit anyone could possibly wear_

**You got me. It is.**

_glad you’ve admitted it. now i’m tired. good night, kylo._

**Good night, Rey.**

Rey plugged her phone in and changed into fresh pajamas before sliding into bed. She was exhausted, so it didn’t take her long to fall asleep, although as she drifted off, she couldn’t shake the thought of those abs-- and what it would be like to touch them-- from her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed these little text exchanges. I like writing texting dialogue for some reason. Please let me know if there's anything in particular you'd like to see from this story! I think the mask will be coming off fairly soon... After all that thirst trapping Rey isn't going to let him stay anonymous much longer. Tell me what you think! Also thanks to everyone who has been commenting, it warms my cold dead heart in this awkward situation <333333


	4. Bus Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update??? from me??? and it's not 2 AM??? Incredible.
> 
> Hello friends! I hope everyone is doing well. I spent a lot of time thinking about this chapter. One of the things I struggled with the most, for some reason, was choosing an instrument for Rey! For some reason, Rose feels like a clarinet to me, Poe is a trumpet (although I could also see him as a snare), and Finn is a sousaphone, but I was so torn for Rey between mellophone, mallets and cymbals. I could also see her on practically any other instrument, or even colorguard (imagine her staff... but it's a flag!). Thinking about it is making me want to write more band AUs... does this fandom need more band AUs???? 
> 
> Anyway, big thanks to ChristineWinchester for teaching me about British things to help with Rey's backstory! I settled on cymbals because a lot of bands will accept cymbal players who weren't originally marching percussionists, but know how to read music, and then teach them how to march and do all the cymbal stuff they need to learn.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

Rey scanned her bus list, mentally comparing the names to the faces passing her as her portion of the band frantically boarded. Today, they were playing an event at the state house, which was in the city forty minutes from campus, and since it was a Monday, the band had to cut it close so that the students could make it to the bus straight from class. Most of the band members secretly hated being pimped out to random government departments to spruce up a ceremony on a weekday afternoon when they had classes to study for, but it helped bring in money for the program, so they didn’t really have a choice. Rey’s bus was a little bit of a hodgepodge— the band needed six buses to hold everyone, and they were mostly sorted by section, but since Rey had marched cymbals before becoming drum major and the cymbals were on the drum line bus with their captain, she ended up heading what was essentially the overflow bus. All of the wind players who didn’t fit on Rose, Poe or Finn’s buses were there, as well as a couple of rogue pit members and some staff. Rey liked the mix; she got to get to know members of the band she might not have crossed paths with. There were about 300 people in the CU band, so it was easy to miss out on meeting people outside your own section.

At the very bottom of Rey’s bus list were two names she had never had on her list before. In the column labeled _section_ was “mascot,” and the names were Armitage Hux and Kylo Ren.

Rey’s eyebrows shot up her forehead. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, tapping out a message in the group chat for the drum majors and band staff. _my bus list says i have kylo ren and someone named armitage hux my bus?_

The band manager replied quickly. **Whoops, forgot to tell you! The mascot is coming but the cheerleaders aren’t, so he’s riding with us. We figured since the two of you have a *thing* you wouldn’t mind him riding with you ;)**

_no problem. bus six is very welcoming of new people._

The clock struck 2:45 and Poe sent out the signal to take attendance. Rey went down her list, almost to the end when the bus door opened and two more figures boarded.

The first was a tall, pale man with red hair carrying a clipboard and an iPad. Rey remembered him from the other times she’d interacted with the mascot. The second, towering over even the tall redhead, in full costume, was Kylo Ren.

The band kids on the bus cheered, and Rey blushed, knowing it was just as much out of excitement to see their drum major interact with him as it was normal marching band enthusiasm for anything fun and different.

“We have a special guest on Bus 6 today,” Rey said. “I’m sure we will all be wonderful hosts to our friend, Kylo.”

\-------------------

Ben prayed to whatever deity looked after college mascots to give thanks for the air conditioning on the bus. Since they weren’t traveling with the cheerleaders, who had officially sworn to secrecy about the identities of the three Kylos, CU mascot protocol dictated that Ben stayed in full costume the entire time he was out and in front of people, even on the bus. That also meant he couldn’t talk, use his phone, or eat unless he was alone save for Hux. This would be one of the longest stretches he’d ever worn the mask for without switching out with Matt or Randy.

He’d taken this event because he was the only Kylo who could; both Matt and Randy had classes at this time that they couldn’t afford to miss. The only thing making it bearable was the fact that he had somehow ended up on Rey’s bus.

Of course, he couldn’t talk to her, but he did get to see her a little more in her natural habitat. She was busy pretty much the entire ride, helping people fix their uniforms and handing out water bottles and Band-Aids and hair ties. As they pulled off the highway into the city, she took a call that sounded like it was coming from the band director, and then picked up the microphone to make some announcements before the band got off the bus.

The event itself turned out to be boring— they usually were— and Ben questioned the necessity of even having a mascot here when it wasn’t even a university function. Just a photo op, apparently; the politicians involved here probably had some say in funding, since CU was a state school.

When the ceremony itself started, the band stood in formation, waiting for their next cute to play. Hux led Ben back to the bus at this point, knowing he was sweating in the hot sun. The bus driver was gone, probably waiting the event out in one of the nearby buildings, so Ben was alone with his spotter. “Do you need to use the bathroom?” Hux asked as Ben lifted the helmet from his head.

“No,” Ben said. “I just need to breathe for a few minutes and drink some water.”

“Okay,” Hux said. “I’m going to go find a bathroom myself. You can stay here and rest for amoment. The band is in formation and the drivers are all on break, so you shouldn’t be disturbed. I’ll be back in ten.”

Ben sighed with relief, setting the helmet down and getting to work removing the top half of his costume. He opened one of the bus windows a crack, desperate for fresh air. It wasn’t enough, he needed the sweat to evaporate off his skin. He stripped off his T-shirt, leaving him bare from the waist up, and finally he could feel the breeze on his skin as he grabbed a water bottle from Hux’s bag and chugged it.

He only had a second to react when he heard footsteps coming up the steps of the bus. He knew they weren’t Hux’s; his footfalls were much heavier in his leather dress shoes. 

In a moment of panic, he grabbed the Kylo helmet and put it on. He didn’t have time to get into the rest of the costume before he was seen, and although it was against the rules to be seen in only part of the costume, it was better to stay semi-anonymous.

“Kylo?” A familiar voice asked.

Ben turned to the front of the bus. Rey stood, panting, red in the face as if she had sprinted here.

“What are you— nevermind. One of the trombone players left her inhaler on the bus and she thinks her asthma is starting to act up. Help me find it.” Rey jumped up onto one of the seats to have a better time rooting through the overhead compartments. She seemed slightly panicked, her hands shaking slightly as she rooted through the bags. “It’s in a purple backpack with a big CU ribbon tied to the strap.” 

Ben turned to the overhead compartment closest to him, scanning its contents. With his height, he had no trouble seeing what was inside without climbing on the seats, and he spotted the bag quickly, handing it to Rey.

“Oh, thank God,” Rey said, opening the front compartment and finding an inhaler case inside. “Thank you,” she said, handing the backpack back to Ben. “I have to go.” 

Ben watched out the window as Rey sprinted away from the buses and back to the ceremony. For someone weighed down by a heavy band uniform and dealing with the oppressive heat of the city in summer, she was moving impressively quickly. Maybe Kylo Ren wasn’t the only “knight” protecting the students of CU.

\-------------------

Once the trombone player had received her inhaler and Rey was sitting in the lobby of the State House with her waiting to make sure she didn’t have an asthma attack, Rey had the chance to let the last few minutes sink in. The Kylo on her bus was definitely the same guy she’d been texting; there had been a smudge of ink on his left pec in roughly the shape of her name from Saturday night. Also, the odds of two different guys with abs like that volunteering to be the school mascot seemed low.

He was _right there,_ she realized. And she still didn’t know who he was.

\-------------------

Ben beat Matt and Randy to lunch, grabbing their usual high table along the wall, out of the way of the main hustle and bustle of the dining hall. They liked it because it was quiet and they could all crowd around one of their laptops to work out the mascot schedule without other students seeing what they were doing, but Ben also liked that it gave him an unobstructed view of the long tables in the middle of the room.

The band kids arrived only a few minutes later, right on schedule, and crowded around a long table right in Ben’s line of sight. His eyes were drawn to Rey immediately. It was still hot today, and she had dressed for the weather in high-waisted black shorts and a tight CU T-shirt. He’d noticed her outfit in class this morning, but hadn’t said anything because he didn’t want her turning around and scanning the crowd for someone his height and build.

But now, when she didn’t think she had that option, he figured he could take a risk.

**I think there was a point in Professor Ackbar’s lecture today when he forgot he was teaching and not just talking to himself**

Ben watched across the room for Rey’s reaction. His laptop was set up in front of him, open to his student email inbox, just there so he had something to hide behind. He saw Rey pull out her phone, her expression turning to shock when she read the text. 

_holy shit are you in my class_

**Apparently. It’s a big lecture.**

_WHO ARE YOU_

**This is the first time I’ve seen you use capitalization in a text message.**

_because i want answers!!!_

**I can’t tell you all of my secrets at once.**

_technically nothing is stopping you_

Ben saw Rey look up to greet her friends, and at the same time Matt and Randy arrived, taking up the other two seats at Ben’s table. Ben pulled up the mascot schedule, knowing the guys would want to go over it. This was probably the busiest part of the year for Kylo; between all of the new student welcome events, open houses, and, of course, football, he was making an appearance almost every day.

Ben debated telling the guys about the mishap with Rey on the bus, but decided against it. He hadn’t mentioned it to Hux, and he’d already messed up enough with the stunt he pulled for Rey at the away game, so he didn’t want them to think he was going to make them look bad. As long as Rey never told anyone, nobody else would know. 

He didn’t think she was going to tell anyone. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he had a feeling that she would keep this to herself. Part of it was the fact that he got the impression that she was a fairly private person; she seemed uncomfortable talking about her love life with the other drum majors, and from what Ben had observed, they were probably some of her closest friends. He also thought, from the way her eyes lit up across the room when she checked her phone and saw his messages, that part of her might be enjoying the secret.

“Hey-- you see that girl?” Matt whispered, nodding his head in the direction of another table. “In the baseball hat? She’s drunk-hugged us every time she encounters Kylo since her first day of Freshman year. It’s hilarious.”

Randy nodded. “She tried to climb me once.”

“Same,” Matt said. “It’s so funny. Like, she’d never talk to us in real life, but she’s literally attempted to koala us in public.”

Ben thought about that. As the mascot, they really did get to see a side of people they normally wouldn’t. He wondered what Rey would think of him if she actually met him face-to-face. Would she even be interested?

Ben’s thoughts were interrupted when Randy nearly knocked his water glass over and Ben had to scramble to pick up his laptop before the water that splashed onto the table reached it.

\-------------------

**Good evening, Rey. How are you?**

_i’m good. just getting a little work done in my room. you?_

**Same, studying. This whole college thing has been an adjustment.**

_how so?_

**I’m used to my schedule being extremely regimented. In the military, your time is managed for you. Right now I should be studying, but I could also be going to the gym or ordering wings or drinking or grocery shopping or signing up for the wilderness survival club.**

_i know that feeling, but so much of my time is just band, so when i’m not doing that it’s like, eat, sleep, or study. those are my options_

**The band here seems pretty regimented as well.**

_it is, to an extent. it’s primarily student run, so there is a chain of command_

**That you’re at the top of?**

_not quite lol. the band manager is at the top, and then poe the head drum major_

**How did you get into marching band?**

_it’s kind of a long story_

**I’d love to hear it.**

_it would be easier to explain out loud. i’m not sure how to type it out._

Ben stared down at that message, not sure how to interpret that. Did she mean she didn’t want to tell him? Or that she wanted to talk in person?

Ben glanced at the door to his bedroom, which was closed, and remembered that Matt and Randy were in the living room playing Fortnite, their headsets up loud enough that it was unlikely they would be able to hear anything from his room on the opposite end of the apartment. In a moment of impulsiveness, he hit the call icon next to Rey’s name.

She picked up almost immediately, and a rush of anxiety shot through Ben’s veins. He had half-expected her not to pick up. Now that she was on the line, though, he was going to have to talk.

“Hello?” she asked, her voice soft.

“Hi,” Ben said. _Shit,_ he thought. _Now what do I say?_ “You said your story would be easier to explain out loud. Did you want to tell it?”

“Oh,” Rey said. “Um. Sure. I’d never heard your voice before.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Ben asked. “Is this wrong?”

“No,” Rey said quickly. “No, I just… didn’t know what to expect. I hadn’t thought about it before. But, yeah. How I got into band. I grew up in the UK, as you could probably guess already. I was in the foster system there. In school we had music class, and it was my favorite part of the week. I also loved math, but the two go together very well, you know. Reading music is just, like, live-action math. Fractions and addition and stuff. And chords are formulas. I don’t know. It just made a lot of sense to me. Usually in the UK if you want to learn an instrument, you have to take private lessons, but the music teacher at my school would let me stay after school to learn piano. In high school I took music theory and kept up with practicing, and one day I was on YouTube and started seeing videos of American marching bands. I was so curious about it, since we don’t have anything quite like it in the UK. I started reading more about it, and it’s like, an entire lifestyle. Reading about people’s experiences, it was like they just joined band and suddenly they had this giant family handed to them. It appealed to me, I guess, since I never really had a family. And they always looked like they were having so much fun. So I decided I wanted to go to an American university and join a college marching band. I did a lot of research and applied to a few schools. Some of the bands wouldn’t accept me because I’d never been in a marching band before. Some of them wanted to put me in the pit, like on a xylophone or marimba, since I play piano, but I wanted to be on the field. A lot of them required an audition on a wind instrument, which I didn’t have. When I spoke to the recruiter for CU, I found out I could join as a cymbal player as long as I could pass a basic music theory quiz to show that I could read rhythms and count different time signatures, so that’s what I did. The first time I ever set foot on American soil was my freshman year band camp. That was probably the hardest thing I ever did-- I didn’t have any muscle in my arms, so they hurt like hell from the cymbals, and I got a sunburn, and I was so tired, but that’s where I met all my friends. And now, band is my family. I haven’t been back to the UK since.”

“That’s amazing,” Ben said. “I’m glad you found your people.”

“Have you found your people?” Rey asked.

Ben pursed his lips. “Maybe,” he said. “I have some great roommates. But it’s a little weird for me, being here. I’m a little older than the average undergrad.”

“How old are you?” Rey asked.

Ben hesitated, not wanting to scare her away. He couldn’t lie to her, though. Not if he wanted this to work. “Thirty.”

“That’s not too old,” Rey said. “But I could see why you might find some of your classmates to be a little… immature.”

“To say the least,” Ben said. He paused. “But you’re not immature.”

Rey laughed. “Half my time is spent waving my arms around while wearing a cape. But thanks, I’ll take it.”

“Hey,” Ben said with a chuckle, “I run around in an even bigger cape doing something even less useful. I have no right to judge anyone else’s caped activities.”

Rey laughed again, sounding more genuine this time. “To be honest, you don’t seem like the type of guy who would become a college mascot at all.”

“What does that mean?” Ben asked.

“You seem kind of reserved,” Rey said. “And the whole military thing. When I think of the type of person who would be a mascot, I think… goofy. Outgoing. Nerdy.”

“I think I’m at least two of those things,” Ben said. “I suppose I’m not very outgoing, but maybe being Kylo can help me get over that.”

“You also have much nicer abs than I would have expected.”

Ben nearly choked. “I’m glad you appreciate them,” he managed to get out. “To be fair, you’re looking a little more athletic than the stereotypical band nerd.”

“The keyword there is stereotypical,” Rey said. “Whoever came up with those stereotypes didn’t go to CU. Every band rehearsal here involves running laps, pushups, situps, and squats, and that’s before we start running around a field carrying heavy instruments.”

That might help explain how she had seemed to have so little trouble sprinting in her full uniform in the oppressive heat during their last event, Ben mused. She was conditioned for it.

“I guess we’re not all what we’re supposed to be,” Ben said.

“How did you become the school mascot, then?” Rey asked. “I told you my story, so it’s only fair.”

“I suppose it is,” Ben said. “When I committed to Coruscant, I started getting all the emails everyone gets the summer before… sign up for this, apply for that, choose your housing, audition for the dance team. Most of them didn’t interest me, but I read them anyway. When I first saw the mascot auditions announcement, I was really only reading it as a joke, but when I looked at the parameters, they listed the “ideal” candidate as 6’3, fit, and approximately 195 pounds. I am 6’3 and exactly 195 pounds. I know it’s not _that_ much of a coincidence, since the usually want tall people to be mascots, but the numbers fit me so precisely that it seemed like some kind of serendipity, like they sent out the email for me specifically. So I signed up for an audition, they gave me an appointment, had me walk around and pose a few times, I tried on the costume, and a few weeks later I was at Kylo camp.”

“Do you like it?” Rey asked.

“Honestly, yeah,” Ben said, realizing that he meant it. “I probably wouldn’t have gotten involved with anything else had I not impulsively done this. It’s different. I get to see a side of this school, and the people who go here, that I never would have seen. I get to have pretty drum majors tell me they love me in front of all their friends.”

Ben could hear Rey’s sudden intake of breath on the other end of the line. “I’m sorry about that,” she said. “Looking back at it, it’s so embarrassing. I should have considered that there’s a real person inside the costume.”

Ben laughed. “It’s fine. It was a lot of fun. The people who need to be more considerate are the ones who verbally harass me or attempt to physically fight me.”

“If they knew who was hiding under that costume, they might think twice about trying to fight you,” Rey laughed. “I’m glad I didn’t, like, weird you out or anything. I didn’t, did I?”

“Of course not,” Ben said. “I gave you my number, didn’t I?”

“Yes, I suppose you did,” Rey said. “So I know what your voice sounds like, and I know what your abs look like, and I know you’re in my class with Ackbar. I’m going to figure this out.”

“How are you going to go about that?” Ben asked. “Lift up the shirts of every guy in the lecture hall?”

“Only the ones who are 6’3 and have deep voices,” Rey said. “That’ll narrow it down.”

“Good luck with that,” Ben said. “I’ll have fun watching.”

“Seriously, though,” Rey replied, “When do I get to find out who you are?”

Ben laughed. “I kind of like this whole ‘Rey the detective’ thing. Here’s a deal: if you can’t figure it out by homecoming, I’ll tell you after the game. But there’s a catch.”

“What’s that?” Rey asked.

Ben could practically hear the blood pounding in his own ears. This was the moment he found out whether she was into this for the same reason he was. “I’ll tell you after the game… while we’re out on our first date.”

There was silence, for just a moment, while Ben’s life flashed before his eyes. “Deal,” came the quiet reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! What do you think of Ben's bet? Do you think Rey will figure it out beforehand? Will they make it to their date after homecoming? Will Rey regret agreeing to a date scheduled to happen directly after the longest and most exhausting game of the entire season? I'd love to hear your thoughts <3


	5. Lights Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is very short, but I think it's a fun one. I have been having trouble focusing on writing lately, so I wanted to post what I could get out. It definitely made me feel better! I hope everyone is doing well, I'll try to get a longer chapter up soon :)

Rey leaned against the doorway to the events hall in the university conference center. There was some sort of major conference happening today-- was it educational or political? she could hardly remember-- but the organizers had wanted band members to stand in uniform at various places in the conference center to give directions to the many people visiting campus for the event. They had offered a fee that would pay for new drum heads for the entire battery, so the band had accepted and Rey had volunteered for a shift. It was boring, but it was an easy way to bring in some cash for the band, even if it meant having to exist in uniform in a context where band uniforms weren’t expected. The conference hadn’t quite started yet, and most of the traffic passing Rey’s post were event organizers running back and forth to make sure the AV was working and the sign in tables were set up, but they had wanted her here early in case people needed to be directed towards the bathrooms or the food court.

A large black figure moved into Rey’s peripheral vision, and she turned to see the school mascot making his way toward her. “Good morning, Kylo,” she said, laughing as he leaned against the wall next to her dramatically, his arm braced above his head as though he were a high school boy trying to flirt by his locker. “Where’s your handler?” Rey asked, noticing a lack of tall redheads following him. She wondered if this was _her_ Kylo, or one of the others. She didn’t know if there was any way for her to tell, since they were all the same height and she was supposedly “dating” all of them.

Kylo pointed toward the bathroom down the hall. “Aha,” Rey said. “So they roped you into doing this event too?” Kylo nodded. “I’m only stuck here for two hours. Then Finn’s coming to relieve me.”

Kylo reached out, taking the edge of her cape and running it between his gloved fingers. He leaned forward, close to Rey’s ear. “Is this what you’re planning on wearing after homecoming?” he whispered.

Rey’s face went red. _Well, that answered that question,_ she thought. This was definitely her Kylo. If the homecoming bet didn’t give it away, his voice did. Even at a whisper, she could practically feel how deep it was.

“Kylo, please leave your _girlfriend_ to her job so we can make it to the meet and greet on time,” Kylo’s spotter--Armitage Hux, Rey remembered--called, apparently returned from the restroom. Kylo nodded, taking Rey’s hand in his and lifting it to the part of his mask that covered his mouth, as though meaning to kiss the back of her hand. Hux rolled his eyes. “You don’t need to keep up with that stunt at this event,” he chided. “The only people who really care are the band and some of the students at the football games. Nobody at this conference will get it.”

Kylo shook his head slowly, almost sadly, as he walked away.

\-------------------

Ben made his way down the stairs into the deep underbelly of the conference center basement. This was where the mascot office was, where the costumes were kept when they weren’t needed for football games. Since the conference center was connected to many of the other major buildings on campus through tunnels, this was where Kylo usually changed for events, hidden away from most of the campus’ foot traffic.

He was free of Hux, for once; protocol dictated that the spotter stayed by the mascot’s side until they returned to the mascot office, but the meet and greet had gone late and Hux had class right after the scheduled end time, so once he had led Ben to the basement stairs, he had fled, leaving Ben to make his own way back.

Not that Ben particularly minded. In this empty hallway, there was no need for a spotter, and Hux’s attitude could get on Ben’s nerves from time to time. 

A door opened a few feet ahead, and Rey emerged in street clothes, a heavy-looking garment bag slung over her arm. That must have been her changing room for the event. She seemed to be startled for a second when she noticed him, but then her face broke out into a bright smile. “Funny seeing you here.”

Ben looked up and down the hallway. They were alone. He wrapped his arm around her waist, leading her in the direction of the mascot office. He had an idea.

“Where are we going?” Rey asked.

“Are you down for a little adventure?” Ben asked quietly.

Rey raised an eyebrow at him. “I have twenty minutes before I need to go get my bag from my band locker and go to class,” she said.

“Perfect,” Ben whispered.

He slid the key out of the costume’s pocket, unlocking the mascot office and ushering Rey inside. He didn’t turn the lights on, so as soon as he shut the door of the windowless basement room, they were in complete darkness other than the tiny strip of light at the bottom of the door.

“Is this okay?” Ben asked.

“Uh-- yeah,” Rey replied, sounding slightly bewildered.

Ben leaned back against the desk behind him, lifting the Kylo helmet off of his head and setting it aside. He reached out for Rey, who stepped into his space immediately, dropping her garment bag on the ground at their feet.

“I’m sorry Hux had to interrupt our moment earlier,” Ben murmured, wrapping his hands around Rey’s waist and pulling her toward him.

“It’s okay,” Rey said. “It would be a shame to leave all of Kylo’s adoring fans waiting.”

Ben chuckled, feeling Rey’s hands running up the front of the costume before taking his face between them. “I still haven’t a clue what your face looks like,” she said, running her thumbs along his cheekbones. “Other than pale.”

“You don’t know that,” Ben said. “I could have the world’s most severe farmer’s tan.”

“So I’m looking for a tall guy, thirty years old, either very pale or very tan--” Her hands migrated, patting along his face, feeling the edges of his nose-- “Ooh, big nose. I think. That could help. Hair-- oh. Ooh. Wow.” Rey’s fingers combed through Ben’s hair, massaging his head as she went. “Really soft hair. Slightly long, soft hair. Okay.” 

Ben couldn’t help the way her fingers in his hair made him feel. It was electric, he thought, and it was making his heart pound and the stupid mascot costume feel far too hot in this poorly air-conditioned space that was little more than an underground closet. 

Rey’s exploration of his hair brought her face closer to his, and Ben leaned forward, his lips brushing against the edge of Rey’s jaw. “Do you like it?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Rey said. Her voice sounded slightly breathy, and he wished he could see her face. “Definitely.”

He turned slightly, angling his mouth closer to Rey’s. “Can I--”

He was cut off by Rey’s lips, closing the hair’s-breadth distance between the two of them and sealing against his. He reacted immediately, pulling her body further into his and kissing her with a fervor that had been building since the first time he saw her. He felt a tug as Rey’s hands, still entwined in his hair, pulled against it as she slid her lips against his. He groaned at the sensation, low in his chest, and Rey broke the kiss to let out a soft gasp and catch her breath. 

Ben moved his attention to her neck, running his lips along the exposed skin and giving the connection between her neck and shoulder a light nip.

He heard Rey sigh. “I have to go get ready for class,” she said. “We’ll have to save the kinky mascot sex for another time.”

By her tone, Ben could tell that Rey was joking, but the words “kinky mascot sex” had lit his body up anyway. _Fuck,_ he thought. If anyone had tried to tell him six months ago that he would be turned on by the words “kinky mascot sex,” he probably would have wanted to punch them. He wanted his first time with Rey to be after they met face to face, and preferably in a bed, but now that she’d said it, he’d subconsciously added it to his bucket list.

“Until we meet again,” Ben said, leaving one last kiss on Rey’s cheek before putting the Kylo mask back on and opening the door to let her out. 

She collected her garment bag and turned back to Ben. “Bye, Kylo,” she said, winking, before slipping out into the hallway and closing the door behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think!


	6. Band Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! I am sorry I took so long to update this, I've somehow felt extremely busy even though I have like nothing to do? Is feeling emotions a full time job?
> 
> I promise I still have so much more in store for our nerd babies <3 enjoy!

_good morning_

Rey shot off the text, then turned around, scanning the room to see if anyone suddenly reached for their phone. There were a _lot_ of students in the lecture hall, but most of them looked like freshmen. A very tall guy who looked like he could be ten years older than everyone else in the room shouldn’t be that hard to pick out, right?

Apparently, it was. Most of the students were already on their phones, getting a few minutes of screentime in before the professor started class, so looking for the guy who was on his phone was like looking for a needle in a bag of needles.

_Long hair,_ she thought, thinking of the face she had felt in the pitch-dark room in the conference center basement. _Big nose._ Her face heated up at the memory of what they’d done. She never thought she would have been so brave in that situation, but she felt like she knew him, even though she didn’t know what he looked like. Or his name, for that matter. She wondered what color the hair would be. She spotted a guy with longer blond hair, whose nose might have been big enough, but when he stood up to let someone into the seat next to him she realized that he was far too short.

“What are you looking for?” Finn asked, apparently noticing that she’d turned herself almost completely around in her seat.

“Oh, nothing,” Rey said, turning back to the front of the room. “I just wanted to see if there were any band freshmen in this class who might want to sit with us.”

“The band kids already know they’re invited to sit with us in class,” Finn said. “We made it very clear during band camp. If there are band kids in your classes, you have friends in those classes.”

“Yeah, but sometimes they’re intimidated,” Rey muttered, knowing her lie made little sense.

As soon as Rey had resigned herself to facing the front of the lecture hall until class started, her phone buzzed. 

**You thought you’d catch me that easily?**

_Holy shit,_ Rey thought. _He must have been watching that whole time._

_are you watching me?_ She replied.

**You’re pretty hard to miss.**

_you’re pretty easy to miss, apparently._

**Safety in numbers. I’ve been told I’m very easy to pick out from a crowd.**

_why is that?_ Rey hoped his response would give her some kind of further clue.

**Mostly size. You’ll see.** Rey thought back to the times they’d physically touched-- not just in the conference center, but at the football games, too. Feeling tiny compared to the mascot seemed normal, but she realized that the costume didn’t really add a lot of size. He was genuinely huge.

Before Rey had a chance to reply, Professor Ackbar started lecturing and she was forced to shove her phone into her pocket.

\-------------------

“Hey dudes,” Randy said as he hung his messenger bag across the back of his usual chair and set down his heaping plate of grilled chicken and kale. “How was class?”

“Not bad,” Matt said. “I managed to stay awake through all of thermodynamics, so I’d call that a win.’

“Ben, you had a thing yesterday,” Randy said, pulling out his laptop and setting it up on the table between them. “How did it go?”

_Much, much better than it had any right to,_ he thought, thinking back on the minutes he had spent in the mascot office with Rey. He’d broken a _whole_ lot of rules by doing that, though, so as tempting as it was to tell his roommates all about it, he really didn’t want them to know how much he’d technically fucked up. “It went well,” Ben said. “The event was boring, the meet and greet went long, Hux was an ass.”

“So basically, it was exactly the same as every single event our buddy ever appears at,” Matt said. 

“Is Phasma any better?” Ben asked.

“Nope,” Matt and Randy both supplied at the same time.

“Do you guys ever wonder why the two people who get paid to follow mascots around are so…” Ben trailed off. 

“Uptight?” Matt asked. 

“Deeply impaled by the sticks up their asses?” Randy tried.

“Yeah,” Ben said. “One of those things.”

Matt shrugged. “They’re hired by the athletics department. They have to be tough enough to intervene if we get attacked by drunk people. I don’t know.”

“Speaking of being attacked by drunk people,” Randy said, “There’s a home game this weekend, and Matt and I are on the schedule, so Ben, you have Saturday off. What are you going to do with your first free weekend of college?”

“I’m not sure. I might go to the game,” Ben said. “See what it’s like when you’re not being caressed by middle aged alumnae.”

“Oh, cool,” Matt said. “With who?”

Ben hesitated. That was a good question. He really didn’t have any friends here yet besides Matt and Randy, who would both be busy. The only person he would _want_ to go with was Rey, and she would be rather preoccupied. Would it be weird if he went by himself? Was it creepy to go to a football game alone? These were not the kinds of dilemmas he had been dealing with in the Marines. “I don’t know,” he said. “I’ll figure it out. I might just stay home and chill.”

Matt and Randy shrugged, then moved on to another topic-- some kind of party they were trying to get invited to this weekend. Ben pulled out his phone. He’d missed a few texts since he’d gotten out of class.

_sorry i didn’t reply_

_my professor started class_

_well, you know_

_you were there_

**No problem. I know you’re a goody two-shoes who would never text in class.**

Ben chanced a glance in the direction of the table Rey usually sat at, just in time to see her cheeks blush slightly as she got his text.

_i can be bad sometimes_

Ben smiled, wondering if she’d meant that as an innuendo. He hoped so.

**Excited for the game on Saturday?**

_i am a drum major, i am always excited for everything. it is in the job description_

**I’m not supposed to tell you this, but just an FYI. I won’t be there.**

_no mascot this week?_

**Kylo will be making an appearance, but another knight will be behind the mask.**

_aaaah i see. so are you telling me i should not sneak into the locker room to make out with the mascot this weekend?_

**I can’t tell you what to do, but I’d definitely like to think I was the only cape-wearing idiot you were getting cozy with.**

_i’ll admit i am not interested in seeing any other mascots at this time_

_how many crazy band chicks have you snuck into that closet?_

**You’re the only one. I promise.**

\-------------------

By the end of the football game on Saturday, Rey was exhausted. Some game days just flowed easier than others, and today was just not one of the easy ones. The weather had been unable to make up its mind; hot and humid one moment, ready to pour rain the next. There had been difficulties moving equipment, and the band director had been in a bad mood. She also didn’t want to admit to herself how much less exciting the whole event was, knowing that the guy in the mascot wasn’t the one she’d been flirting with. Once she finally made it home, Rey had been ready to change into her pajamas and go to bed, but her roommates had apparently made other plans.

“We haven’t had a real party since the end of band camp,” Poe had insisted. “We’re slacking.”

That is how Rey found herself in the living room of the old farmhouse she lived in, dressed in something short and tight and taking large sips from the fruity drink Poe had poured into a red solo cup for her. Hopefully, if she got drunk enough, she would forget how sore she was and start having fun.

Band parties were usually fun, but part of the fun had always been the possibility of getting to know someone better and maybe getting the chance to flirt with them, and Rey knew that the one person she felt like flirting with definitely would not be here.

It was a little insane, how attached she’d gotten to her Kylo. She wondered if it was because she’d never made out with someone like that before, or if it was the mystery, or if they did actually have a real connection. She thought about texting him, but then took a look at how much less liquid there was in her cup now compared to when she started, and decided that might not be a good idea. Poe made strong drinks, and she’d downed that pretty quickly. 

“Hey, Rey!” Kaydel, the captain of the colorguard, shouted as she crossed the room. “What are you doing? You need to come dance with me!” Sober, Kaydel was a strict, stoic leader who made sure that every twitch of every flag in her guard was in perfect synchronism. Drunk, she was a party animal.

“I’m not sure if I’m ready to--” Rey was interrupted by Kaydel grabbing the cup out of her hand and shaking it. 

“There’s nothing in this!” Kaydel shouted-- everything she said for the rest of the night would probably be shouted-- “We need to fix this. Where is Poe?”

Kaydel dragged Rey back into the kitchen, where Poe readily refilled their drinks. Rey took a sip. This batch might have actually been stronger than the last.

_Fine,_ Rey thought. _This should get me drunk enough to dance with Kaydel. And if it doesn’t, it’ll knock me out hard enough to sleep through the rest of this party._

\-------------------

When Ben’s roommates returned from the football game, Ben knew something was up. For once, rather than debating ordering wings and getting a game of Fortnite started up, they were moving quickly, almost frantically, Randy going straight for the shower and Matt starting to strip off his shirt before he even made it to his room.

“Ben, dude, get changed,” Matt ordered when he saw Ben sitting at his desk, his bedroom door open. Ben had decided not to go to the game alone; instead, he had spent a significant portion of the day at the gym, then used the rest of it to finish the finer details of setting up his new bedroom that he’d been putting off since move-in day. “Something cool. Make sure you smell good.”

“What’s going on?” Ben asked.

“Don’t ask me how,” Matt said, “But I got us invited to a party tonight. At the band house.”

Matt’s proclamation had lost Ben’s interest completely at the word ‘party,’ but had won it back tenfold at the word ‘band.’

“What is the band house?” Ben asked, hoping to sound nonchalant.

“It’s a big farmhouse a little ways off campus. A bunch of band kids live there-- a few seniors and some of the drum majors-- and sometimes they have parties and invite the entire band. And tonight is one of those parties. And we’re invited. Come on!”

_Some of the drum majors._ There were only four of them, right? That put the odds of Rey being one of them pretty high. He thought back to the photo she’d sent him after the other game, the mirror selfie. The background hadn’t looked like a standard dorm room. That might have been taken in an old farmhouse. The idea of going to a party and being surrounded by a bunch of young college kids who he didn’t know sounded nauseating, but the idea of Rey being at a party without him was somehow offputting. 

He blamed Matt’s urgency for the way he swiftly shut his door, stripped off his shorts and tank top, and put on black jeans and a black T-shirt, checking his hair in the mirror and dabbing on a tiny bit of cologne. This was a terrible idea. 

Showered, overdressed, and wearing way too much body spray, Matt and Randy met him in the living room. “How do we want to get there?” Randy asked. 

“We can walk,” Matt said. “It’s, like twenty minutes. A little bit of a hike, but it’s not worth paying for an Uber.”

The roads leading away from campus were crawling with students, all dressed for parties, some carrying drinks in their hands or wearing small backpacks filled with cans or bottles. The CU water bottles that had been given out to freshmen for free at orientation were apparently the container of choice for alcohol transportation. Ben wondered if he should have brought some alcohol, or if he even wanted to be drunk tonight.

When they arrived at a large, white house, Matt announced that they had made it. He texted someone, and a guy came out to meet them. “Hey, Snap,” Matt said, shaking the guy’s hand. “These are my roommates, Randy and Ben. Thanks for letting us in.”

“No problem,” Snap said. “Thanks for saving my ass in Thermodynamics.”

Snap let someone on the porch steps know that they were with him, and they were all let into the house.

Once they were inside, Randy opened the flap on his messenger bag, revealing several cans of beer. He passed one to Matt before offering one to Ben. “Want one?” he asked. “They’re still cold. Took them out of the fridge right before we left.”

Ben hesitated, then nodded, accepting the can. One beer wouldn’t get him anything close to drunk, and he could hold it in his hand and sip at it all night so that he didn’t look out of place by not drinking. It was a much better bet than finding out what was being poured into the plastic cups most of the other partygoers were holding.

The party looked a whole lot like what college parties in movies looked like, except that everyone there looked like someone who would either join marching band or be friends with predominantly people in marching band. The music was loud, the room was crowded, and there was a mass of people dancing on the other side of the room. 

Ben glanced around, hoping to spot a familiar head of brown hair. It was hard to really spot anyone with this many people around; the only way he could still keep track of his roommates was the fact that they were the tallest people in the room. They had already both gotten distracted; Matt was being introduced to Snap’s friends and Randy had wandered off to try to talk to a group of girls.

Ben passed through the kitchen, where a guy he was pretty sure he recognized as the senior drum major, Poe, was mixing drinks and holding court with an attentive group of people who were all not Rey. He followed the flow of bodies out to the back deck. It was less crowded and had much better air to breathe, so he decided to stay there a minute. 

Coruscant University was outside the city, in farm country, and he had to admit, it was a nice place. This house had a big back yard that he was sure was nice to barbeque in during the daytime. 

Ben was interrupted from his thoughts by a shouting voice from inside that just managed to cut over the music and other voices. “Rey, there you are! You said you were going to dance with me, like, an hour ago! Get over here!”

Ben turned back inside, following the direction of the voice. He finally spotted Rey, being dragged by a blonde girl into the living room. She was dressed in a way he’d never seen her before; instead of a band uniform or something that made her look like she was modeling for the Coruscant University apparel catalogue, she wore a black dress that clung to her form and cut off just below her perfect ass. 

The second thing Ben observed about her-- after the way her dress showed off her body-- was the fact that she was definitely drunk. He continued to follow after her, even though part of him wondered if he should even be here. She had no idea who he was.

Rey danced with the blonde girl for a little while, before the blonde spotted a guy she apparently knew and became fully occupied with grinding on him. Rey looked around, as if searching for a new partner, when her eyes landed on Ben.

At this point, the crowd had pushed Ben a few feet closer to the dancing than he was entirely comfortable with, and Rey only had to take a few steps to reach him. “Who are you?” she asked. “You’re not in band.” Before Ben could come up with an answer, she grabbed his arm, tugging him into the throng of moving bodies. “Dance with me, tall boy.”

Unsure of what to do, Ben allowed himself to be led into the crowd. Actual ballroom dance was one thing-- he could certainly lead a partner in planned, regimented steps. Whatever this was was foreign to him. Luckily, Rey’s current idea of ‘dancing’ was apparently leaning her back against him and swaying slightly to the beat of the electronic music blasting from the speaker nearby. He rested a hand on her waist, hoping that everyone else in the room was too drunk to observe whatever awkward scene this was.

Rey said something, but Ben couldn’t hear her over the music. “What?” he asked, leaning down to be closer to her ear.

Rey turned around, facing him and wrapping her arms around his neck. “You’re big. You remind me of someone.”

“Who?” Ben asked, straining his voice to be heard over the noise.

“My boyfriend,” Rey said, then laughed. 

Ben felt his ears get hot. Had she been leading him on this entire time? “Your boyfriend?” Ben asked. 

Rey laughed again. “My boyfriend is Kylo Ren,” she said. “The mascot. He got me flowers and everything. It’s very serious.”

The relief Ben felt at her words was intense. “Is that right?” he asked. “The masked knight of Coruscant is your boyfriend?”

Rey nodded. “So don’t mess with me, or Kylo Ren will come and mess you up with his laser sword.” Rey’s words were slurred, and Ben realized that her arms around his neck were currently a major factor in her ability to stay upright.

“Is Kylo a good boyfriend?” Ben asked.

“The best,” Rey murmured, one of her hands beginning to run down Ben’s chest. He tried not to dwell on how that made him feel.

“Is somebody driving you home tonight?” Ben asked.

Rey shook her head. “I am home. This is my house.”

“I think Kylo would say that you might be ready for bed at this point,” Ben said. 

“I wanted to go to bed before, but then this stupid party started,” Rey said. “Will you help me up the stairs?”

Ben glanced around, wondering what the optics would be of the oldest-looking guy at the party disappearing upstairs with a girl too drunk to stand on her own. Nobody seemed to be paying attention, though.

“You don’t want one of your friends to?” Ben asked.

Rey shook her head. “They’ll want me to keep dancing.”

Rey tugged him toward the staircase, and Ben followed, letting her lean most of her weight on his arm. Rey led him up to a tiny room on the third floor. Her lucidity seemed to be slipping with every moment, but the sign on the door with her name on it made Ben reasonably certain she’d led him to the right place. Ben coaxed her onto the bed, holding the sheets back for her, careful not to hit his head on the slanted ceiling. He pulled back, meaning to leave right away, but was stopped by Rey’s hand grabbing at his shirt. 

“I like your hair,” Rey said. “It reminds me of Kylo.” As she spoke, she closed her eyes, already seeming to settle in to sleep.

Ben smiled, disentangling her fingers from his shirt and setting her hand down next to her on the sheets. “Kylo is a very lucky mascot,” he said, chancing a light kiss on her forehead before leaving her alone in her room and shutting the door behind him.

He made it halfway back downstairs before he was intercepted by Poe Dameron. “What are you doing?” Poe asked, his tone accusatory.

“I’m sorry, I was just walking Rey up to her room,” Ben said.

“I saw you bring her upstairs. Who are you?”

“I came here with Snap’s friends. I know Rey from class. She looked like she was going to pass out. You’re her roommate, Poe, right?” Ben took a gamble, based on the way Poe had been acting earlier, that he was one of the other residents of this house, in hopes that it would serve as evidence that he was a friend of Rey’s and not just a creep.

The gamble paid off, if only a little. “Yeah, I am. I don’t think she’s mentioned you before.”

“We’ve never hung out outside of class,” Ben said. “We just talk. Look, I probably should have tried to find one of her roommates, but she seemed really intent on having me walk her upstairs--”

“We’re good,” Poe said. “If you were up to something, you wouldn’t be on your way back downstairs already. I’m going to go check on her. Next time, just tell me or Finn what’s going on before you disappear with her.”

Ben nodded, and Poe pushed past him, heading up to Rey’s room. Ben caught his breath before returning to the party, hoping his roommates wouldn’t want to stay too much longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think <3 
> 
> I was watching videos of marching band shows to try to get into the zone to write this and they totally gave me goosebumps... I miss playing music in live settings with other humans!!! Feel free to reminisce/commiserate about band in the comments, it gives me life

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading my midnight antics! Is this interesting? Should I write more? Is anyone else mourning the temporary suspension of sports and marching band related activities? Please let me know your thoughts friends <3


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